The Denver airport is guarded by a 32-foot-tall sculpture of a demonic horse.

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The “Blue Mustang” sculpture was created by the widely recognized artist, Luis Jiménez, whose previous works are displayed in numerous museums including the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.

Standing 32 feet tall and molded from polychromed fiberglass, the mustang is painted a vibrant blue with red, glowing neon eyes. Meant to represent the “wild” spirit of the old American West, Jiménez installed the glowing eyes as homage to the neon workshop he worked in as a youth. These glowing eyes have earned the sculpture the nickname “Blucifer.”

The sculpture was commissioned in 1993, two years prior to the opening of the airport it stands outside of, but delays postponed its completion. Among these delays was the tragic death of the artist in 2006, when a 9,000 pound portion of the “Blue Mustang” sculpture broke loose and severed one of the artist’s arteries. His sons completed the remaining work.

Finally in 2008, the mustang was installed at the entrance to the airport, much to the dismay of the residents of Denver. Public opinion has vilified the artwork with calls from many quarters to have it removed to a less prominent location. City officials have postponed any attempt to remove the work until after 2013 so that residents and visitors can grow accustomed to the statue in hopes that public opinion will soften over time.